


Andonikos' Apprentice

by aea2o5



Series: The Wars of Peteia [4]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Original Work
Genre: M/M, Original Character Death(s), Original Mythology, POV Original Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2018-09-27 10:26:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10010612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aea2o5/pseuds/aea2o5
Summary: Andonikos'Chroniclehas finished, for now. It is up to Nil-galad and his companions to aid Andonikos in his peace-keeping duties. Will they become as powerful as the enemies they must overcome, or will they succumb to death or the evil they have sworn to keep at bay?This tale follows the half-elf warlock Nil-galad through his many quests undertaken at the behest of his mentor, Andonikos. You, dear reader, will assume this role. May the moon, stars, and sun always guide you rightly, and may your magic never fail you.





	1. Prologue: The Lemure

**Author's Note:**

> This is the same world, with many of the same characters, as the _Chronicles of Andonikos_ , in case that wasn't obvious. I am writing it now because there are many tie-ins with the _Chronicle._
> 
> A link to the map of Peteia: http://i.imgur.com/gIVc7mZ.jpg?2  
> Sorry it doesn't work properly, I lack the technical expertise I need. Such is life.

You were summoned by a dream. You know not where you were summoned, nor by whom, neither why. Nonetheless, you must follow the command you were given. Perhaps it was your fiendish patron who has called you. Perhaps it was the call of destiny. Regardless of whomever issued the summons, you follow it. Strange magics guide your footsteps north and a little west, across the great river Addelstann and along one of its tributaries. You do not know its name, indeed, you know little of these northern lands, having been called up from your home in the center of Koriand’r, the south-eastern region of the Kingdom of Soncia.

A month ago, you began to have a Dream: a journey, moving swifter than a dragon can fly, leaving only impressions that you somehow know you can follow. It all ends at the feet of two mountains, with a path separating them. There, a Voice commands: _Come to me_ , and then you wake up. You had this dream every night for a week, before finally saying goodbye to everyone you know, and beginning the journey north, guided by the impressions left by the Dream.

You’ve noticed that the ground has been steadily rising, and you correctly guess that you have arrived at the foothills of the Forbidden Mountains. You continue travelling for another day, during which the mountains manifest themselves to you. Another two days of winding paths brings you right to the foot of the mountains themselves.

There, blocking your path, sits – or maybe stands? – a lemure, the lowest rank of devil. You know now that it was not your patron who has summoned you, and you know, deep inside, that you cannot merely pass by this aberration: you must destroy its manifestation in the Material Plane. To that end, you cast your Eldritch blast as it charges toward you. You hit the creature, slowing its advance long enough for you to back out of the range of its fists. Your next attack misses, but the lemure continues with a vengeance, striking you twice – once for hitting it, and once for missing. Your body, sporting what will become formidable bruises, is flung from the hill whereupon you had been fighting.

The lemure advances down the hill as you pick yourself up for the last attack you know you will be able to make. Your body has taken enough punishment that you know, in your heart of hearts, that if the lemure lands another blow you will be dead. The lemure is coming ever closer, and you cast your spell one more time, hitting the creature where its torso would be. The lemure explodes, banished (for a time) back to the Nine Hells, and you are free to continue your journey.

You pass between the feet of two great mountains, the same ones from the Dream, and see two gargoyles, one on either side of the path. You are not frightened, however, and boldly stride between them, not sparing a single glance behind. As such, you miss seeing the gargoyles’ heads turn to observe you as you walk farther along.

As you round a spur of rock, you are confronted by an old man, tall, unbent by his years, his silver beard reaching just past his belt of rope. He wears a simple blue and white robe, although he bears two notable rings: one of gold on his right ring finger, and one of silver on his left ring finger. His hands are laced together in front of his belly, and he spread them wide as he begins speaking.

“Welcome, traveler, to the Hidden Valley. As you have made it past my various defenders, it appears that I have called you here for some purpose. Please, continue to follow the path, and be welcomed to my hospitality.”

With that, the old man bows and vanishes. You realize now that he was the product of some form of illusory spell. Judging by the general nature of the message, you guess that it is the result of a Programmed Illusion, a spell you couldn’t hope to cast for a long time yet. Clearly, some powerful magician resides here, and you tread more carefully from here on out.

You continue walking until the sun disappears behind the mountains, and you find a conveniently-placed cave to rest in. It is too ideal to be natural, and you – once again correctly – guess that whomever resides at your destination fashioned it for travelers to his home to rest along their way. You find that there is fresh bread and cheese in a carved shelf in the inside. This, combined with your now-depleted venison jerky, serves as the best meal you’ve eaten in the past week. Ever since you left the Sleepy Sparrow Inn, in fact, and that was many miles to the south-east.

The next morning, you wake well-rested, eager to complete your journey and reach your destination. You set out after finishing the bread and cheese, and begin walking once more. Around mid-morning, you reach a small waterfall, and here the path ends. You are urged to walk through the waterfall, however. Upon doing so, you enter a tunnel piercing through the mountain. It is clearly dwarf-work, but the some of the decorative carvings indicate elves. As such, you cannot decide to what race your compeller belongs to.

You quit the tunnel at the other end to find that it is nearly evening. The old man you saw before stands before you now, in the same pose as the illusion. This old man, though, bears a warm smile upon his face, whereas the illusion bore no more than the grin one gives at the mention of an inside joke.

The old man spreads his arms wide, and makes a bow. “Welcome, Nil-galad, to my humble abode.”

You have too many questions. Who is this man? What does he want? How does he know your name? What manner of person is he? You ask those which you deem most prudent: “Who are you, and what do you want with me?”

“My dear warlock, I am the one who gave you the Dream. The rest of your questions you will find out in time. For now, follow me, and I will show you to your rooms.” As he speaks, you recognize his voice as that of the Voice from the Dream. In that moment, you make your decision.

You follow him, full of uncertainties about your future…


	2. Ignis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ignis isn't one of my characters. He belongs to a good friend of mine, and I am using him with permission. Just so you all know.

“Faster, Nil-galad. You have the speed in you, you are just unwilling to use it,” Andonikos tells you after another failed repetition of an advanced training sequence.

“I am trying, Andonikos,” you reply, frustration beginning to gain a hold on you.

“No, you are telling yourself that you are, but you really aren’t.” His always stern demeanor was rubbing you the wrong way right now. Even a single word of encouragement would be nice.

“What is that supposed to mean?!” You were beginning to lose your admittedly accommodating temper. This had been going on for a week now, and nothing seemed to be enough for the old man.

“It means that you don’t care enough to put all of yourself into it. Again.”

You begin the exercise once more, failing at the same place you always did. Your anger boiled over this time, however, and you stalked away from the training ground. At least, you started to leave, before Andonikos commands you to return.

“No,” you reply, fully intending to quit, at least for today.

“Nil-galad, I will not force you to stay, but it would be greatly to your advantage to do so.”

“Who are you to judge what is best for me? You know nothing about me!” A red haze clouds your vision at his presumptions.

“I know better than perhaps you yourself know.”

His words only serve to incense you further, and before you fully realize it, you have spun around to face him, Eldritch Blast already forming on your lips, your hands already in motion. You release the spell at him, trying to deal the most damage you can to him, no matter how: emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually… It matters not how you do it, as long as it is done. You want – you _need_ – to hurt him.

In your anger, however, you miss. Andonikos merely gives you a small, sad smile as your hopes for some sort of payback crumble before your rapidly clearing vision. As the red haze retreats from your sight, the enormity of the potential consequences hits you like a house falling down in an earthquake. You probably just blew any chance you had of learning any of the great magics Andonikos has at his beck and call.

“Are you finished?” He questions. You _know_ that he can see every thought that is going through your head.

“Yes,” you reply, hanging your head in shame, waiting for your expulsion to be pronounced.

After a moment of silence, he speaks: “Would you like to do the exercise again, or would you prefer something else?”

You look at him in shock. You just attacked him, and he brushed it off as if it were nothing! “What?”

Andonikos smiles. “You are confused as to why I am not banishing you from my sanctuary?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Here, take a seat, and I shall explain.”

You sit down, and Andonikos proceeds to illuminate you. “You see, Nil-galad, I live a solitary life. You are the only humanoid to live here for longer than a week or two in half a century. I am not allowing you to stay for the sake of company, however. It is because of the spark of passion I see in you. You long to serve some greater cause, and it is my fervent wish that this cause be the protection of all the inhabitants of Peteia. I foresee that if you leave now, you will succumb to the darkness which I have fought for so long to keep at bay.”

With that, all your remaining anger and frustration left you with a rush. How could you be angry at the old man after that? You decide, then and there, that you will stick it out through Andonikos’ training, no matter how difficult it may become.

Andonikos freezes for a second, seeming to be listening intently to something. He proceeds to nod to himself, then address you: “Come, Nil-galad. There is somebody I would like you to meet.”

You follow him out of the training area, through the complex of buildings, and out to the entrance of the Hidden Valley. You see a tiefling standing there, looking both confused and angry.

“You!” He cries, seeing Andonikos. “You’re the one from my Dream! The Dream that tormented me for so long!” As he speaks, his hands begin to burn.

“My friend, do not be so hasty. For you a more urgent Dream was required. Put away your fire. It will not be needed here.” Andonikos’ soothing words convince the tiefling to extinguish his fire.

You think that this tiefling is too hasty, and you wonder why Andonikos brought him here.

Andonikos speaks again: “Nil-galad, this is Ignis, tiefling sorcerer. Ignis, meet Nil-galad, half-elf warlock. You two ought to get along well.”

You and Ignis share a look, one that says _I highly doubt it_. Clearly, you are both thinking somewhat contemptuously of the other. Anything more than a grudging partnership seems unlikely anytime soon.

That evening, at dinner, Ignis tells the story of his journey to the Hidden Valley, and it was eerily similar to your own, only with different places and a much more irritating Dream. He also fought a lemure, interestingly. After he finishes, you tell your own, at Andonikos’ insistence. It was at his request that Ignis told his tale, as well. Neither of you really cared about how the other ended up here, but Andonikos seemed the think that it was important, and you both respected his wishes.

That night, you meditate upon the possible reasons Andonikos may have for bringing Ignis here. You don’t think of anything particularly plausible, and you go to sleep with your question unanswered.

You begin training together, and the next week is full of little incidents, small verbal barbs, and one day you almost begin hurling spells at one another. That was when Andonikos realized that he needed to keep you apart for a little while. He made you bow to one another in apology, and for another week you only saw each other at mealtimes. Naturally, that was three times too many every day, but there was nothing either of you could do about it, as Andonikos was inflexible on the point.

As it was, you maintained a healthy distance between yourself and Ignis. Well, you tried, at least. There was another incident, and this time spells did fly.


	3. Blood in the Valley

It was early in the day, and Andonikos was making you do some pointless exercise in the stream that flowed through the building complex. You were supposed to pick up some of the large rocks in the streambed, hold them for five minutes at waist level, three minutes at chest level, one minute above your head, three again at waist level, and then five minutes again at your waist, before lowering them back into exactly the same place you picked them up from.

The only thing this was doing – in your eyes – was irritating you (you had done this four times already), although Andonikos claimed that it was building up your mental and physical strength.

“How?” You inquire, irritable and tired. He had woken you up at three in the morning, and it was close to five now.

“How what?”

“How is this making me mentally stronger?”

“You know already that magic is the rerouting of a few of the many threads of the Weave. You also know that this takes practice to do well and reliably, save for those for whom it comes innately. You are not such a one, but you have been fortunate enough to have not had any accidents due to a lack of focus.”

“Then why?”

“Because right now you know only simple magics. The more powerful the spell, the more taxing it is on the caster. You must discipline your mind now, so that you may reap the benefits later.”

“Back to the original question, then: what is _this_ exercise doing?”

“Do you remember where that stone you are holding came from?”

“Not anymore,” you resentfully reply, the seeming randomness of the question catching you off guard.

“I do.” He walks over to you, takes the stone from your hands, and sets it down a foot away from where you thought you had picked it up from. “You see, exact placement is very important for the success of some spells. If you misplace a strand of the Weave, it could have disastrous consequences. If I was to cast a Wish, for example, and had even one single strand out of place, I could cause a supernova, or a plague, or an infinite number of other terrible things. _That_ is why you must discipline your mind.”

“Oh, I see…” Again, Andonikos’ logic disabled your reasons for being upset.

Then you hear some laughter coming from the bushes farther up the stream. Ignis was the logical choice for the source, seeing how he was the only other person present in the Hidden Valley as of yesterday.

Your irritation rushed back in a flood, and you cast Eldritch Blast in the general direction of the laughter (which, to your amusement, turned into a panicked shriek as Ignis stumbled away from the bushes). He retaliated, throwing some fire in at you. You made the mistake of falling into the well-chilled water of the stream to avoid it, exchanging being roasted for being soaked and frozen. Unbeknownst to the two of you, Andonikos slipped away to let you figure out your differences however you willed.

The two of you continued to fight until a green cloud enveloped you – both of you. Ignis, from what you could see of him, looked just as confused as you felt, so you were sure that he hadn’t cast the spell. You blundered around, trying to escape, the poison burning you all the while. Eventually, you stumbled out of the cloud, a mere few feet away from Ignis.

“What… was… who-who cast… that?” You gasped, filling your lungs with the sweet, sweet fresh air.

“I… I don’t know…” Ignis was also gasping for air.

Suddenly, the cloud dispersed, revealing a Yuan-ti Pureblood. You look at Ignis, he looks at you, and some spark of comraderie is born. You cast Eldritch Blast shortly before Ignis hurls a Fire Bolt at the snake-man. The fire was more painful to your assailant, it seems, for he pulled out a bow and shot at Ignis. He saw it coming, though, and was able to dodge out of the way. You blasted the enemy again, and Ignis did the same. This time, the yuan-ti shot at you. You tried to dodge, but were not quite fast enough: the arrow grazed your side.

You scream, feeling the poison burn in the shallow groove. It wasn’t very much damage, but that doesn’t mean that it didn’t hurt. You take cover behind a bush instead of attacking, and Ignis’ fire missed. The yuan-ti shot him, however. You heard his own scream, and turn to see an arrow in his leg. You drag him behind your bush before throwing another Eldritch blast in the yuan-ti’s direction. The snake-man stumbled, clutching his chest, and proceeded to fall down, dead.

Ignoring your own wound, you first make sure that the yuan-ti is dead, and then tend to Ignis. Your knowledge of medicine is barely adequate at best, so you rinse and bind the wound before helping Ignis to stand. You walked him through the entire process, telling him what you were going to do, and asking him if each step was okay before you began it.

The two of you, Ignis using you as a crutch, walk toward the building complex in search of Andonikos. You both understand that this new-found comraderie has changed your entire dynamic, and when Andonikos sends you to separate healing beds, you part as friends.

The next day, you are both fully healed (you learned that Andonikos is possessed of powerful spells of healing), and you share the telling of the ambush over supper, each of you unconsciously exaggerating how heroic the other had been.

“Ignis stood there after I had been shot, completely calm, although he must have known that he would be coming under attack after I took cover,” you tell Andonikos.

“I was just worried that you were hurt more than you were. I wasn’t about to be fighting that thing alone. I needed you to be fighting with me,” Ignis replied, as Andonikos looks at you with the look you have by now learned means _I know exactly what is going on here_.

“It seems to me, my students, that the two of you have forged the sort of bond that only brothers-in-arms have. I am hopeful that your relationship will continue to develop in a positive direction.” With that, Andonikos clears the meal from the table and sends you off to study and sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Ignis and Nil-galad are friends (of sorts) now. Interesting...


	4. Three's Company

Despite Andonikos’ hopes, you and Ignis still did your best to avoid each other whenever possible. If there was one thing you agreed upon, however (besides agreeing to ignore one another, that is), it was that neither of you returned to the spot of your ambush. Even you do not know whether this was to try to suppress the memory of when you stood shoulder to shoulder against a common foe or to try to purge the thought that enemies could enter even this sacred land, or even for another reason you couldn’t quite put into words.

A few more days pass without event – which you judge by the lack of seeing Ignis outside of mealtimes – until Andonikos sends the two of you out to go for a hike in the mountains to the southwest. He ordered (well, it was more of a stern suggestion – one which you could not find it in you to refuse – almost like a father suggesting that an obedient child do a chore around the house) you to stay together, saying that if one of you returned without the other, that one would be sent to go find the other, and was not to return until they had been found.

And so, grumbling the entire time, the two of you set off, but are not quite far away enough to miss what you thought sounded like “What was it you wished to tell me?” as you walk away. Ignis gave no sign of noticing, and you’d be damned if you asked him about anything. He’d probably tell you the wrong answer on purpose, you thought, and so you carry on.

You are trudging through the foothills when you hear a female voice, somewhat on the lower side, speaking clearly and precisely, although clearly hollow and almost uncaring – almost. As you listen, you realize that you have heard that voice before. Well, not _that_ voice, but you know that inflection: the sound of one so devoid of purpose that the hollowness and the grief have become one feeling. Your brother sounded like that when your dark elf captors told him that they had slain your entire family – including you – right before they killed him.

You run up the hill before you, pausing at the top, shocked to see that you appear to have left the mountains protecting the Hidden Valley. A little further on, you see a young woman garbed in the green surcoat of the Army of Anderra. She as you watch, she falls to her knees and cries out again: “Where are you? Your Dream said that I would be comforted here! I don’t see anybody!”

In that instant, you realized two things: the first was that, if her words were any indication, you would have a new (and hopefully more agreeable) companion in the Valley. The second realization sent your heart plummeting into the depths of your stomach. You and Ignis had both faced a lemure (you think that’s what Andonikos had called it), you guessed as some sort of test. Looking around, you see no such creature, living or otherwise, and you know, deep down inside, that she is about to be—

With a snarl (or was it a growl? You don’t even know), a lemure appears and charges the woman. She looks up, shocked and surprised, before recovering and revealing a warhammer. The lemure looked even angrier and rammed into the woman, sending her sprawling, just as Ignis made it to the top of the hill next to you.

“This should be good,” he says, taking a seat.

You are enraged by his nonchalant attitude. “That thing is going to kill her!”

“She’ll be fine… We had to fight ours alone. So should she.”

You wince as she is struck again after landing a half-hearted blow on the monster. She doesn’t look like she could take much more of this beating, and you make up your mind. “Well, _I’m_ going to do something,” you tell Ignis before taking off down the hill, hurling an Eldritch Blast at the lemure, hitting it squarely. It turns and charges towards you, too far away to reach you before the woman regains her feet and slams her hammer down through the lemure’s head, sending its essence back where it came from.

“Thank you,” the woman says, looking at you.

“You’re welcome,” you reply. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Remiel Lindberg. Who are you?”

“I am Nil-galad, and this,” you reply, glancing dismissively at Ignis, who is just now making his way down the hill, “is Ignis.”

“Thank you again, Nil-galad. I believe you have saved my life. I think I must be going now, however.”

“Where are you going?”

“Between those two mountains,” Remiel tells you, pointing to two mountains just to the left of where you had come from. Seeing it from this angle, you realize that Andonikos had almost sent you out of the Valley the way you came in. From there, it was but a short step to realizing that he had done it on purpose, to meet your new companion.

Realizing this, you know how you ought to respond. “We will accompany you, then, in case there are any other dangers on the road.” You begin walking, and right as Ignis opens his mouth to speak, Andonikos appears from behind one of the foothills and greets Remiel, instantly silencing any objection from Ignis.

“Welcome, my daughter, to my home,” Andonikos speaks. You can feel the soothing tones radiating from him, and wonder what this elf – for she is clearly an elf – had gone through to cause Andonikos to magically soothe her. As you are thinking, he continues: “I am sure that you have many questions, child. If you would follow me, all shall be answered.” He pauses, looking at you and Ignis. “And the two of you should come as well, unless you wish to walk back through the mountains,” he says with a little laugh.

That certainly had both of you scrambling to follow the two of them up the path. “You just _had_ to come rescue her,” Ignis whispered furiously at you.

“What else was I supposed to do? Would you have just watched her die?” You reply, equally heated. Seeing him nod in response, you continue: “Well, I couldn’t have done that. Besides, Andonikos clearly wants her here, and if we had let her be slain, what would he have done then?” Even Ignis couldn’t refute that, so he settled for seething with resentment as the four of you continued back to the settlement.

That evening, Remiel approaches you after dinner as you are heading for your room. “I was told that my room was next to yours, so Andonikos said to just follow you,” she informs you. You sigh a little, knowing that Andonikos gave that exact reason just to prevent you from rejecting her conversation. You wonder how in the Nine Hells he knows so much about everybody.

“Very well,” you respond with a smile. “If you would follow me, I’ll show you right there.”

“Thank you,” she says as you start walking. “I also wanted to thank you again for saving me. Ignis doesn’t think you should have, does he?”

“Not at all. He was pretty upset with me. But then again, he’s always upset at me for something.”

“That sounds like it sucks, I’m sorry…”

“No, I’m sorry for getting you involved in our little… whatever it is… when you just got here.”

“It’s alright, Nil-galad. I’m guessing you’re happy that there is someone here who will actually listen to you now.”

You smile, giving a chuckle. “Definitely.” You look up, realizing that you have arrived at your rooms. “Well, goodnight, I guess… And welcome to the Valley!”

“Thanks,” she offers a small smile before entering her room.

You stand around in the hallway for a little bit longer and are just turning to go into your own room when Ignis emerged from an alcove in the wall. He makes eye contact with you, and you realize that he heard the whole conversation. You break the contact and storm into your room, Ignis looking at where you had been standing for a long while before turning and heading off to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just kidding about the friends part...
> 
> Remiel is also not one of my characters, in case anyone was wondering.


	5. Rivals

You toss and turn, trying to go to sleep, until a thought about Ignis crosses your mind. _Why don’t I like him?_

You think for a minute, then answer your own question with _Because he’s self-centered and would have let Remiel die._ I _was the one who saved her, not him. He just sat there._

Your brain wouldn’t let you off easy, however. Your drive to look deeper is now being turned against you. _But you fought the Yuan-ti together. What happened there?_

You now understand what it was like when you played devil’s advocate. _He said something about needing me to fight alongside him, but I know he meant that he would have died if I hadn’t been there. So he was still only serving himself._

_Good, but you also would have died, remember?_

_So I needed him, too. Big deal._ You were starting to get really irritated with yourself.

_Are you having a pride problem? Don’t like the feeling of needing somebody else to rescue you?_

_Ignis needed the same thing! He’s probably thinking the same exact thing right now._

_You two are probably more alike than you think. Maybe that’s why you dislike him._

_Would you shut up? He is reckless and irresponsible!_

_Prove it. He didn’t attack Andonikos, which you did._

_Stop!_ You feel the shame and fear of that moment creep back into you. _I have put that behind me,_ you say uncertainly.

_Obviously, if it is still bothering you._

_Why do you care, anyways?_

_Good question. I’ll answer it when you tell me why you hate Ignis._

_You bastard! I’ll get you for that…_

You weren’t convinced by your own threat. _I’m sure I’ll regret it someday,_ you sarcastically reply.

 _Damn right, you will._ It was then that you realize that you’ve been arguing with yourself, and you feel like an idiot. _Who argues with themself like this?_

_You do, clearly._

_Shut up, nobody asked you!_

_You did. I am you, and you asked yourself, so you asked me by extension._

_I’m done with you._

_Maybe, if you’re nice, I’ll let you sleep._

_Are you blackmailing me?_

_That’s not being nice._

_I refuse to negotiate with people such as you._

_‘With people such as you’? I’m hurt, Nil-galad. I really am._

_I’m an exception._

_Great! That means I’m an exception, too!_

You _aren’t._

_But we already agreed that I am you, so anything that happens to you also happens to me._

_Go to hell,_ you reply, almost ready to kill that beyond annoying voice in your head.

Just then, you hear laughter. Mocking laughter. Then it stops, but only for a voice to drift through your door. “Are you talking to yourself, Nil-galad? You can’t be satisfied with hating me, so you have to argue and hate yourself, too. Sad. I expected the big hero to be better than this, but he’s not, is he?”

“Ignis, I swear, if you say anything, I’ll beat the shit out of you.”

“That’s not proper hero behavior. But if that’s the way you want it, I look forward to when we spar together. Until then, sweet dreams…” He laughs mockingly again, then you hear his footsteps receding.

_There you go. That’s why I hate him._

_Because he taunted you? He isn’t the first, and he certainly won’t be the last, you know. You can’t hate everybody,_ you tell yourself.

 _Perhaps not, but that doesn’t mean I can’t hate_ him _..._

_If that’s your only reason for hating him, I would advise you to reconsider._

_And what? Admit that I was wrong? Only if he will first!_

_This stubborn pride of yours may very well be the end of you…_

_If his irresponsibility doesn’t kill us all first,_ you mutter darkly, before rolling onto your other side and mercifully falling asleep.

\-----

The next morning, Andonikos has Remiel tell her story in the same manner in which he had you and Ignis tell your stories; you learn that Remiel had served in the Army of Anderra, whose crest she still bore. You discover that she had been (rather more than somewhat) attracted to her commander, who was also the company’s main war spellcaster, until she was slain. Shortly thereafter, her Dreams began, she left the service, and sought out Andonikos. You sympathize deeply with the wood elf, having also lost a loved one recently.

“Commander Tinashe is dead, then,” Andonikos speaks upon the conclusion of Remiel’s tale. “I had wondered why her correspondence had stopped.”

“Wait, you knew her?” Remiel questions him.

“Yes, I knew her. You were in her company five years ago?” It was not a question.

“Yes,” she replies.

“You may remember, then, an old man who stayed with you for about half a year. The one who accompanied you on the excursion into the jungle in the south of Zwandia.”

“That was you? I wondered how we all made it out alive… Those creatures were terrible…” Her voice drifts, recalling the horrors of that expedition.

“Now you know. Perhaps, someday, when I tell my full history, it shall be made more clear to you,” Andonikos tells her. “For now, however, I wish for Ignis and Nil-galad to show you around the complex, as I have some business to attend to elsewhere. I shall return by suppertime. Nil-galad knows where the kitchens are, so he will make lunch for the three of you.” With that, Andonikos rises from his chair, exits the dining chamber, and vanishes down the hall.


	6. Choices

You are practicing hypothetical situations with Remiel and Ignis against Andonikos: he gives you a situation, and the three of you have to come up with a viable solution. You figure that this is some sort of team-building exercise, but so far all you have learned is that you and Ignis have very different methods of solving problems. His usually involve burning anything and everything, whereas yours are more… diplomatic and/or clever. You have also found, however, that Remiel shares your general inclination towards non-violent solutions.

“You are chained hand and foot, gagged, and being held prisoner by a group of cultists,” Andonikos tells you. “You are in a tent with a large post in the center; all of the chains everyone is bound to are connected to a central chain which has been driven into this post. The man you infiltrated the camp to rescue is also chained to the center post, along with several peasants – who are looking very overworked and starving. Thoughts?”

You consider for a minute before speaking: “Are there guards inside the tent?”

“No, but there are two outside of it, stationed at the entrance.”

“And we’re bound, so I can’t just burn them…” Ignis says wistfully.

“Would they hear us if we tried to break the large chain out of the post?” Remiel questions.

“Yes, but there are enough noises coming from the camp at large to mask any noise you, specifically, make,” Andonikos answers her.

“So… if we were to break the chain off, would we be able to free ourselves of our individual chains?” You inquire.

“Yes. The smaller chains will slide right off the central chain. However, it will take more than one of you to break that chain. Remember, you are gagged, so it will not be easy to coordinate to break it, either,” Andonikos tells the three of you.

As you are thinking, Andonikos seems to register some mental stimulus, because his blue-grey eyes seem to turn their attention inward. He nods to himself before speaking. “My apologies, I must cut this exercise short. She has arrived earlier than I anticipated. If the three of you would kindly prepare for supper, I would be grateful, although you have a little time.”

How could you refuse? You and Remiel walk off in the direction of your rooms while Ignis stalks off in the opposite direction.

“Who do you think this ‘she’ he mentioned is?” You ask.

“I don’t know, but it’ll be nice to have another woman here…” Remiel replies.

“I respect that. I guess that if I was the only man, I would want some male company as well,” you sympathize. “I wonder what she’ll be like. Hopefully not another Ignis.”

“You really should let that go, you know. It isn’t helping anything around here,” she admonishes you.

“I’ve told you, I can’t just let him win,” you protest.

“It’s when you do… _this_ … that I wonder why I’m friends with you.”

“Wait, what?”

“This obstinately holding onto a grudge or whatever it is, instead of working together to solidify all of us as a team.”

You are forced to admit that she _may_ have a point. “Okay, but he started it. He laughed at me when I was doing an exercise. I’ll admit that I messed it up, but he had the audacity to laugh at me,” you protest.

“So? That still seems like a rather flimsy excuse.”

Before you can think up a decent response, you have arrived at your rooms. As you part to get ready, Remiel looks at you seriously. “I’m sorry, Nil-galad. I shouldn’t be pressing you so much about that issue. It’s just a bit frustrating, that’s all.”

“It’s alright. I appreciate your concern and everything. If I was in your place, I’d probably do the same thing, honestly,” you reply. With that, the two of you enter your respective rooms.

An hour later, at supper, there is a fifth place set for dinner, but it is empty until everyone is done eating. When you are all finished, Andonikos looks at a side door, muttering something under his breath. Immediately, a halfling emerges from the other side of the door. She is dressed in greens and browns, and carries a bow on her back. “Hello!” she says enthusiastically, her optimism infectious.

“This is the ranger, Asteria Swiftbow. From my right to my left, Asteria, are Remiel Lindberg, the fighter; Nil-galad, the warlock; myself; and Ignis, the sorcerer,” Andonikos says as an introduction. “Asteria will not be telling her story until everyone has arrived, as she is not entirely used to speaking very much at one time – as most rangers are.

“I have also decided,” Andonikos continues, “that I will not have you repeat your stories every time a new companion arrives. It becomes most repetitive, and I would spare you from that. Instead of that mistake, when everyone has arrived, then will each of you tell your stories. And then, perhaps, I shall also tell you mine own…”

You are hit by a mix of emotions, although mostly _Andonikos makes mistakes?_

Right on cue, Andonikos looks at you and says “Yes, I do make mistakes. I am not one of the fortunate few who make less mistakes than they have successes. The distinction lies in where my mistakes are made, and what I do about them afterwards.”

His point made, Andonikos asks Ignis to show Asteria to her room, which you suppose is next to his, the same way Remiel’s is next to yours, and then he exits the dining hall. You lean towards Remiel and whisper “You know, I’ve always wondered where he goes after supper. He always leaves so quickly, you know. What could he possibly be doing?”

“I don’t know,” Remiel whispers back, “but it’s probably best not to worry about it too much. Especially if he’s being so secretive about it.”

“Maybe if I was better at sneaking around, I could find out,” you half-jokingly say. Seeing the look on her face, you hastily backtrack. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to try! I would be caught, and then who knows what would happen. He might be really mad… It’s not worth it, really.”

Remiel seems contented with that answer, and allows the matter to drop.


	7. Misguided Curiosity

You have followed Andonikos for three nights now, and have never made it past the sword hanging over the door to his bedchamber. Every time you would lose your nerve and turn back, retreating down the white hallway and fleeing into your own chamber. This night, you tell yourself, you will not withdraw. You understand that entering through that door may very well be the equivalent of walking into a dragon’s lair, but curiosity has you chained to this goal. You _must_ know where Andonikos goes, what lies beyond that door.

Again, after dinner, you go down the narrow passageway for a fourth time, determined to succeed. You once again approach the closed door with its sword handing above it. You wonder, not for the first time, if it has ever been used. Looking more closely at it now that before, you notice a few signs of use, despite the sword being obviously well looked-after. Overall, it appears to have seen extensive use at some point, although not for a while.

With that line of thought out of the way, you proceed to steel yourself to open the door. After a minute, you put your hand on the handle, giving it a turn. The door silently opens, revealing a fog bank, and although it is still a corridor, the entire area radiates magic. You feel your way along the wall until you reach what feels like a doorframe, although this one has no door. You step through it, and find a small room, a simple mat on the floor. Off to one side you see another doorway, this one leading into a bedroom.

You then realize that Andonikos is _there_ , in front of you. He is sitting on the blue and gold rug, his legs crossed in front of him. His eyes are closed, and he is speaking to himself – or so you think at first.

“The time has come. All the preparations have been made, and I await your arrival.”

It is then that you realize that Andonikos is not talking to himself. Rather, he is sending a Dream to someone else, and you remain in your spot in order to discover who that someone might be.

To your disappointment, however, Andonikos mentions no name, no occupation, nothing that might be of any service to you, and before you register it, whatever spell he is using (you figure it is a very difficult and powerful spell) ends, and his eyes open – his gaze is fixed upon you now.

“Nil-galad, what are you doing in my chambers?” he asks you.

You scramble for answers, but you can’t seem to come up with anything. In the face of what you have just done, mere curiosity is not an adequate excuse. “I don’t know, sir…” you reply, hanging your head.

“I thought not. I have seen you following me, Nil-galad. That is why, this night, I disabled the Suggestion in the corridor, the one which made you turn away the past three nights, just so see if you would go through with it. I admire your curiosity and the determination to see a plan through, but please, do not enter my chambers again. You may very well have walked in on a very powerful spell, and been slain. My designs for you are far too grand for that. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” you say morosely, although you can’t help but wonder about his ‘grand designs’ for you.

“Good. Now, please return to your room, and kindly do not mention what you saw to anyone,” Andonikos instructs you.

You turn around and walk back through the smooth white corridors, turning the right angles that Andonikos seems to be fond of using in his buildings, and returning to your room. As you prepare for bed, you think about how lucky you’ve been. You were let off easy by Andonikos twice, and you don’t think that he would show such mercy a third time.

That starts you thinking about what you would do if you had to leave the Hidden Valley. You don’t have any family left, not after they were captured by the Yuan-ti. You were the only one who escaped, and the image of your sister being hauled away, screaming, is one that will never leave you. You sleep fitfully, waking up to nightmares of what you have witnessed.

The next morning, Andonikos excuses himself from your training sessions, instructing you to work on your spell accuracy – in other words, hit the same general spot on the boulder that is about 100 feet away from various angles and distances. At lunch, there is an additional place set, and already sitting at it is a human woman with straight, shoulder-length brown hair. Well, you figure it would be shoulder-length if it weren’t bound back in a single braid. She has the appearance of a scholar, and a soft one at that. For all that, however, there is a hint of the same intuition that Andonikos openly displays in his blue-grey eyes, the same wit and I-can-see-right-through-you sort of look.

After Andonikos enters to begin the meal, but before he can introduce you all, she stands and says “Hello, my name is Signe, and I am a wizard, hoping to specialize in Abjuration.”

“Hello, Signe,” Andonikos replies for the rest of you. “These are, from my left to my right along the table, Asteria Swiftbow, the ranger; Ignis, the sorcerer; Nil-galad, the warlock; and Remiel, the fighter.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you. I look forward to working with you all,” she brightly replies.

“Wonderful,” Andonikos tells her. “I look forward to seeing you work as a group.”

Hearing him say that, it became abundantly clear (if it wasn’t already) that Andonikos intended to collect a varied group of adventurers to help him in his master plan to defeat evil. The idea of being part of a larger whole comforts you.


	8. Of Stone and Scales

You never consider telling anyone about your encounter with Andonikos – not even Remiel, with whom you share many things. She is like the big sister you never had, and you don’t think that she understands how much it means to you that she talks to you and supports you. To tell the absolute truth, if it had been only you and Ignis for much longer, you might have ended up killing him or something similarly drastic. She is, in a sense, your hero.

Having heard her story only makes you more amazed that she’s keeping it together. To lose her commander and object of her affections in one fell blow must have been terrible to go through, but she is still here, doing her best. You admire her grit, and want to prove yourself worthy of the confidence she has entrusted you.

Andonikos puts the group, such as it is, through an exercise that everyone could tell was designed to build a team dynamic. He took all of you to an open field, you carrying all of your gear, and him carrying only a small box in his hands. In the middle of the field, he stops, turns to face you, then pulls something out of the box and throws it to the ground. Suddenly, a hill giant appeared before your very eyes. Andonikos turns to you, a little sheepish. “That wasn’t what I wanted, but I suppose it’ll work. You are to work as a team to come up with a plan to defeat this foe.”

“Are you crazy?” Ignis shouts, sounding slightly hysterical. “That’s a giant!”

“I am well aware, Ignis,” Andonikos calmly replied. “Please, trust me. Can you do that?”

“For now, I suppose…” The uncertainty in Ignis’ voice was tangible.

“Excellent,” was the response, as Andonikos clapped his hands together. “Now, I want you to go stand on that hill, come up with a plan to defeat this giant, and then carry it out.  
Begin.”

The five of you sprint over to the hill and huddle together, whispering half-thought-out ideas. The giant looks quite terrifying, with its light brown skin, uncured leather loincloth, and a monstrously large club in its hand.

“Maybe if we…”

“No, we can’t—”

“How about—”

It was a little bit of insanity, with everyone speaking at once and all. But a few minutes later, you finally have a plan. Asteria runs towards the giant, firing her bow to distract it. Signe and Ignis cast Fire Bolt, one after the other, and you run down the side of the hill, firing off an Eldritch Blast as you go. The idea was to confuse the giant, dividing his attention between three areas. Focused on your work, none of you notice (or, rather, register that you noticed) that the giant has disappeared. You look around, trying to see where in the Nine Hells it might have gone – an apt phrase, you realize as you turn to find an incubus behind you. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Andonikos covering his face with his hand, the very picture of self-disappointment.

Reacting quickly, you launch an Eldritch Blast at this new foe, surprised when it vanishes as soon as your cantrip makes contact with the incubus. Confused, you turn to Andonikos for an explanation.

Andonikos smiles, opening the small box he brought with him, which reveals a stack of cards. He removes them from the box, fanning them out, showing pictures on the cards.  
“It’s a Deck of Illusions,” he explains. “I pull a card at random, throw it on the ground, and the image appears as an illusion. Of course,” he pauses reflectively, “the illusions disappear when they take damage, so they only work as more of a plan-building exercise than a combat simulation.”

“I see…” you reply, nodding slowly in comprehension. Andonikos always seems to find new ways to astound you.

“Come,” Andonikos says, beckoning the five of you close. “Let us return. Tonight, we will have a new companion with whom to be introduced.”

Your interest piques, and you eagerly stroll back to your home. It is interesting to be thinking of it in that way: home. _Home_. You lost your home, and Andonikos has given you a means to make one of your own choosing. And even if you intensely dislike one of your siblings, that’s all part of the family dynamic, and you start to think that maybe you don’t really want to be rid of Ignis.

Returning to the small cluster of buildings, you notice that Andonikos is no longer with you. You aren’t all that surprised at that by now. Andonikos comes and goes as he wishes, and it is wise not to question what he is doing, unless something is troubling you. He has never given you any reason for you to question his doings, however, so you have complete trust in him. You amble over to your room to prepare for dinner. Remiel and Asteria are talking, about what you do not know, so you go by yourself, not really caring what Ignis is up to.

You reach your room and sit down on the bed, wondering who the new companion will be. Thinking about it, you conclude that you are missing solid melee personnel. Andonikos has assembled a warlock, sorcerer, wizard, and ranger, but currently only has one fighter. You figure that it will probably be either a paladin or barbarian. It might, perhaps, be a cleric, even. You can’t really say for sure.

At last, you hear the bell which Andonikos is fond of using to summon everyone for dinner, and you rush to the dining hall. Upon arrival, you stagger backwards at the sight of a green dragonborn, barely noticing the dwarf next to it. Remiel approaches behind you and helps you regain yourself. Embarrassed by your lack of self-control, you apologize to the group at large.

The dwarf, whose chest is covered by a flaming red beard, introduces himself as a fighter by the name of Ivar Nylund, mentioning along the way that “my ancestors have been urging me to listen to a being they once knew,” pointing to Andonikos.

All eyes on him, Andonikos raises his hands in surrender. “Guilty,” he chuckles. “I do have some history with everyone here, whether you know it or not.”

With that issue cleared up, it falls to the dragonborn to introduce itself. “We know that chromatic dragons – and therefore chromatic dragonborn – aren’t exactly popular, but we would like it to be known that we have pledged ourself to the service of Athelgolthos(1) as a paladin. We have renounced my heritage’s evil and seek to do good in this world.”

Andonikos looks pointedly at everyone seated at the table. “I have invited them,” he says seriously, resting his hand on Bahman’s shoulder, “to be here, and you all know that I tolerate no evil in this place. As such, you have their word – and my assurance – that they have only the best intentions. I don’t want to see this become an issue.”

Who could argue with that? You certainly can’t, and it appears that nobody else is able to, either, and you all nod your acceptance. The serious moment passes, and you all lean forward, eager to hear more about your new companions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Athegolthos: Lawful Good draconic god of justice, morality, and wisdom. (I created entirely new pantheons for almost all of the races in Peteia, because... reasons...)


	9. Complicated Relationships

“You mentioned that you have, quote, ‘some history with everyone here’. What do you mean by that?” Remiel asks as dinner winds down and the conversation begins to pick up once more.

“Oh, yes, that,” Andonikos chuckles. The feeling of mirth is betrayed, however, by a faint look of sorrow in his eyes, as if their perpetual gleam has been suppressed. “It is a long story for some of you,” he continues. “For example, I have known the Nylund family ever since I was a much younger person. I met one of his ancestors in prison, and we orchestrated a jailbreak together.”

The entire table is shocked into absolute silence. None of you can imagine Andonikos, from what you know of his character, to ever have gone around breaking out of jails. “I’m sorry, you what?” you nearly shout after processing for a moment.

“All this time, and I thought you had a stick somewhere there shouldn’t be…” Ignis says, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

“Why did I not know of this incident?” Ivar demanded.

“My dear people, someday soon I will tell my story, and hopefully it will answer a great many of your questions. For now, however, I will say that I was rightfully jailed, and Gundren Nylund was not. I had duties to attend to, none of which could be addressed whilst in prison, and he, being innocent, did not deserve to be there, so we decided to leave. Now, that does not mean that I promote breaking the law unless the law is wrong,” he admonishes you all sternly.

“We wouldn’t dream of such a thing,” you reply, throwing a glare at Ignis.

The tiefling glares right back at you, his red horns reflecting the candlelight, and your scowl softens as you take a moment to admire the general aesthetic of Ignis’ horns. Then, realizing what you are doing, you look away quickly, hoping he didn’t see you staring.

“… in fact, if anyone shows consistent poor behavior, I’ll leave you in my oubliette,” you catch Andonikos mentioning as you tune back into the conversation. Once again, everyone stares at the old man in shock. Looking around, he suddenly starts laughing. “You should see your faces…” he manages to say between chuckles. “I don’t _actually_ have an oubliette. It is quite a good idea, though…” he trails off thoughtfully, but grinning the whole time. Eventually, everyone smiles along with the joke, yourself included.

“For everyone else, I suppose I can briefly mention how I first came to know your families.” He takes a deep breath, looks around the room, then lets it out with a sigh. “Well, actually, the company is not yet fully assembled, so I shall withhold for now.” Seeing the disappointed faces, he smiles once more. “Fear not, my children, all shall be made clear in time. And now, off to bed!” He makes shooing motions, like a mother playfully banishing her offspring. You tap Remiel’s arm, and the two of you walk back to your rooms.

“Who else could we be missing?” You ask your best friend, confused. “What does he mean?”

“I’m not sure, Nil-galad,” Remiel replies, “I think we just need to be patient, and he will reveal everything when he intends to, and not a moment sooner.” She looks at you intently. “And _don’t_ press him about it, because your eyes say that you are thinking about it. It’s not a good idea.”

“What? How did you know?” You are incredulous, but are also forced to admit that the elf is correct. “Fine…” you mutter defeatedly, looking at the floor after a moment of eye contact. You reach your rooms, and you separate. Just as you are about to enter your room, however, you turn and, spurred on by a sudden impulse, give Remiel a quick hug.

“What was that for?” She inquires.

“I don’t actually know,” you reply, just as confused as she is. “It just felt like the thing to do.”

“Oh, alright then…” she says, turning away and entering her room. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” you respond, entering your own room and closing the door.

That night, you have the most vivid dream that you have ever experienced. You find yourself in a jungle, following a trail that has only been used by wild animals, and rarely at that. As the ground before you rises, you soon realize that you are ascending a mountain. At the top, the ground plateaus, and you see figures moving at the far end, silhouetted by a fire that is burning on the opposite side from you. You approach them, and gasp upon seeing the shadows huddled around a red tiefling bound on a stone altar. He – for it is certainly male – lies shirtless, and you pause for just a moment to look at the musculature. You are distracted by a flash of metal. Another figure rises from behind the altar, between it and the fire. It is a female wood elf with her plain strawberry blonde hair covered with a green hood, which wreathes her face in shadow, and she holds in her hands a ceremonial dagger.

She looks up at you and speaks. “Now is the time. Command and it shall be done.” Her voice hits you like a hammer, for it is Remiel’s voice. Suddenly, you realize that it is Ignis upon the altar. As Remiel speaks, the other figures turn and face you. You see Asteria, Ivar, Bahman, Signe, and three other figures you don’t recognize: a burly half-orc wearing only hide, a black-bearded and olive-skinned dwarf (contrasting with Ivar’s fairer complexion), and another human, this one with flowing orange cloth and skin even more tan than the new dwarf’s. You get a sinking feeling in your stomach, but as Remiel lifts the dagger to pierce Ignis’ breast, you throw out your hand and shout for her to stop. She looks up at you once more, and you wake up with the memory of her piercing gaze still penetrating into your soul.


	10. Gathered for a Purpose

The following morning, two new faces were at the breakfast table, and you recognized both of them as having been in your dream from the night before. The first is the tan-skinned dwarf, who informs you in a polite, but gruff manner that he is “from the Grand Archipelagate, and therefore probably too cultured to be on the continent of Koriand’r” (approximate quote), and that his name is Sigismund Moonsinger, “and yes, the name makes my audiences always remember me. I’m the only performer that they can remember” (exact quote). The other is named Ograk, a half-orc from Zwandia, where the largest concentration of orcs, and, by extension, half-orcs, reside.

By now, you have realized that the persons present in your dream – which you make no mention of to anyone, not even Remiel – are the members of the band of would-be adventurers which Andonikos is assembling. You still have no real idea of what the purpose is, though you imagine that it will be made clear soon. After all, you are only missing one more companion, so the time must be close upon you.

Sure enough, after spending four hours doing research on the development of the government of the Republic of Anderra (a fascinating subject, really), you find that the tenth person from your dreams – counting yourself – has arrived in the Hidden Valley, in time for dinner. It was a human female, with jet black hair and a kind, if guarded face. Her name is Ariq, and if it weren’t for the long hair, she could easily pass for a male, which you and Signe decide is most likely deliberate, at least as far as her manner of dress is concerned.

After the majority of the actual eating is finished, Andonikos stands and addresses you: “It brings me great pleasure to see all of you finally together in one place. You all know me, but I will have you introduce yourselves however you will to each other. I only ask that you be relatively brief, as I’m sure you all wish to get some rest, and I have more to say once you have finished. So, starting on my right, let’s begin!”

You see everyone’s eyes focus on you, and so you begin. “Hello, I’m Nil-galad. I’m a half-elf, and I was born in Soncia. I’m a warlock, with some fiend for a patron, I guess. I’m bad at this, sorry,” you finish with an awkward chuckle.

“I’m Remiel Lindberg, a wood elf fighter from Anderra, but I’ve been planning to learn some divine magic and become a cleric,” your best friend picks up where you left off.

“Hi, everyone, I’m Asteria Swiftbow! I’m a lightfoot halfling ranger, from Lond-Girith.”

“My name is Ivar Nylund, I’m a fighter, as well as a hill dwarf from Calondum.”

“We are Bahman… green dragonborn… We're a paladin, and trying very hard to break the chromatic mold. Also, we would prefer to be referred to as either Bahman, they, or them.”

“My name is Ariq. I am from Kama, and I’m probably the worst human rogue you’ll ever see,” the new girl says when it is her turn, earning some soft protestations, and an encouraging smile from Andonikos.

“I am Ograk the half-orc. I am from Zwandia. I am a barbarian.”

“I am the wizard, Signe, human from Namfeld.”

“I am Sigismund Moonsinger, the fantastic mountain dwarf,” he says this while throwing a loaded glance at Ivar, “and I’m the best bard within two thousand miles. The Grand  
Archipelagate must give its best representative, so here I am!”

“I’m Ignis. As you probably guessed, I am a tiefling. The fires of the deserts of Kama burn hot within me, for I am a sorcerer.” You glare past Andonikos at Ignis as he speaks his bit.

“Very good! With the introductions made, allow me to give you some information I’m sure you’ve been dying to know.” Andonikos smiles before he continues. “You have come from all corners of the world, gathered here for a purpose. Despite any misgivings which you might have, I have hand-picked each of you, because I believe that you will do well here, in this company. I have spent centuries upon centuries aiding the cause of peace in this world. Now, I pass on this mandate to you. I have seen the goodness in your hearts, and I believe that you are all capable of this.

“You have all arrived in the same fashion: called by a Dream, which I sent to you. From what you have told me, each of you encountered a lemure near the entrance to this valley. This was not of my doing, and leads me to think that there is devilish work afoot here that I have only begun to gain any accurate sense of. Soon, I expect to receive another visitor, an old friend of mine. When he arrives, I shall have a clear idea of your first mission together. For this one, you will all go together, but know that future missions will require different skillsets, and therefore different combinations of the ten of you.

“With that being said, what I can tell you right now is that the road ahead will be dangerous, and it will take teamwork for you to all make it out alive with the objective completed.” The wizened old man looked pointedly at each attentive face around the rectangular table. “And now,” he continued with a smile, “off to your rooms. Tomorrow is going to be a big day. If you think of any questions, you may ask me tomorrow evening at dinner.”

You all shuffle off to bed, your minds swirling with activity. _What does he see in us, that makes him believe in us so much?_ You wonder as you drag your feet towards your room. As you lie in bed, attempting to sleep, you are kept awake by various thoughts, as well as the sound of… _Is Remiel crying?_ You resolve to ask her about it in the morning, and eventually pass into a light sleep.


End file.
